I banked my points to book Aulani but it's not available. WWYD?

[anricat]

We didn't take a vacation last year so we could bank our points forward for a trip to Aulani for the first time (not our home resort). I watched early June for the last two years and it always looked like a good option for booking at the 7 month window for a studio as long as I was cool with an oceanview. I was, we had enough points as long as I banked. I know the last two years were weird, so I guess that's my bad but I even searched here and saw threads of other people asking about June at the 7 month window and most people said, yeah, studio oceanview should be fine. I was even willing to go to a 1 bedroom (I'd have to borrow from my next UY but fine, I'd live).

But when my window opened yesterday, only one of our days was available in an oceanview studio or 1BR! I put in two waitlists (a standard and an oceanview studio) and I'm stalking the site pretty regularly. Is something going on June 2024 that I'm not aware of? Or is this more "back to normal" and the last couple of years were out of the ordinary?

Now I'm not sure what to do. We even arranged to meet my brother in law there! He hasn't booked anything yet so they are waiting for us to give them the go ahead (his girlfriend's family lives there so they can just stay with family, but their dates are not flexible, unfortunately as he's a college professor).

What would you do? Remain in limbo for awhile with the hope that the wait list comes through? Rent our points instead and just book a regular rack rate room there (or elsewhere)? Skip the entire trip and try again some other time?

 

[Brian Noble]

I can understand 2022 being different from 2024--the proof-of-vaccination requirement for Hawaii inbounds wasn't dropped until March of '22, which would have already been well into the June window. But, it's odd that 2023 and 2024 are not at least somewhat related. Maybe the Maui fires have pushed more people onto Oahu, but I don't know why that would impact DVC, because they have no Maui resorts.

I'd be tempted to do the following:

1. Put in your waitlists (which you've done) and see if they come through. You could even do them day-by-day if you want to increase your chances, but that might be overkill.
2. Keep stalking.
3. Place a request first exchange request with Interval for a studio at Marriott Ko'Olina. This would be for a week, but there's no reason not to take a longer trip to Hawaii. A studio here will be 130 DVC points for the week if I'm reading the charts correctly. This is a bit of a longshot because you won't have Marriott priority, but why not roll the dice?

 

[Geomom]

Maybe some people are walking reservations? Wait-list is good and keep stalking, maybe something will open up in a week if people are walking.

Are you flexible on dates? Maybe a different week will be available?

I haven't tried to do Aulani yet, so no personal experience trying to book

 

[FrannyFrogs]

I booked Aulani at the 7 month window last week. Tons of walking is indeed happening!

Memorial day seems especially popular there (it took me a minute to figure out, Pearl Harbor is nearby)

There was a lot of fluctuating availability all around those dates. I would stalk the website often this week if I were you, I bet something will open up!

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I would not waitlist standard. It is a tiny category at Aulani. I would waitlist island garden and Ocean view.

 

[Anal Annie]

I agree not to even bother waitlisting Std. view anything because there's such a small amount of them. I would waitlist OV & IV and stalk, stalk, stalk. The earlier you waitlist the better the odds. We've been 2x but never tried for June which I know is really difficult. We went in August once in an IV studio & this past April in an OV studio. If you can't walk the reservation then I'd see if there's any way at all to jiggle the dates around to a less popular time. The point charts are lower in June so the demand is high. I've never waitlisted Aulani but I've had good results waitlisting @ WDW. You never know. We had a studio waitlist come thru @ VGF for Sept that I totally thought would be a no-go. It can happen.

 

[anricat]

I agree not to even bother waitlisting Std. view anything because there's such a small amount of them. I would waitlist OV & IV and stalk, stalk, stalk. The earlier you waitlist the better the odds. We've been 2x but never tried for June which I know is really difficult. We went in August once in an IV studio & this past April in an OV studio. If you can't walk the reservation then I'd see if there's any way at all to jiggle the dates around to a less popular time. The point charts are lower in June so the demand is high. I've never waitlisted Aulani but I've had good results waitlisting @ WDW. You never know. We had a studio waitlist come thru @ VGF for Sept that I totally thought would be a no-go. It can happen.

I feel like I used up all my good luck already when a WL we had for Beach Club came through! But thanks for this. I'll change to IV.

 

[anricat]

I booked Aulani at the 7 month window last week. Tons of walking is indeed happening!

Memorial day seems especially popular there (it took me a minute to figure out, Pearl Harbor is nearby)

There was a lot of fluctuating availability all around those dates. I would stalk the website often this week if I were you, I bet something will open up!

I considered walking, but I need to be able to sleep at night so I just couldn't do it.

That's why I thought AFTER Memorial Day! I'll keep stalking. I've had WDW come through for both stalking and WL. I'll give it some time before I totally freak.

 

[zavandor]

I would book the single night that is available and waitlist the other nights one by one. This has higher chances of coming through.

 

[jekjones1558]

One bedrooms are often the last to book so I think you have a very good chance at one of those if studios don't work out. Good luck! I feel your pain!

 

[anricat]

I would book the single night that is available and waitlist the other nights one by one. This has higher chances of coming through.

Won't I end up with a bunch of reservations that are separate and I'll have to move rooms?

 

[jekjones1558]

Won't I end up with a bunch of reservations that are separate and I'll have to move rooms?

You can call Member Services and have them merge all of the nights into a single reservation. This is assuming that each night is the same size and category of room, of course.

 

[jtopp]

I really believe that the reservation system for this property should be modified. I understand the need to cater to the members that have this as their home resort, but considerations should be made. Because of its location, it is a major undertaking to plan this vacation, only to be denied the ability to get accommodations. At WDW, if you cannot get the request that you want, there are other options on site, so as to not ruin your vacation. Not so here at Aulani. If you have saved your points and then planned on aulani as your hotel, only to find its unavailable, you're screwed and have to find other choices. This can make or break your vacation plans, having to make different plans. Unfortunatly, I have no idea how to modify the system and still be fair to the members that have this as their home resort.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I really believe that the reservation system for this property should be modified. I understand the need to cater to the members that have this as their home resort, but considerations should be made. Because of its location, it is a major undertaking to plan this vacation, only to be denied the ability to get accommodations. At WDW, if you cannot get the request that you want, there are other options on site, so as to not ruin your vacation. Not so here at Aulani. If you have saved your points and then planned on aulani as your hotel, only to find its unavailable, you're screwed and have to find other choices. This can make or break your vacation plans, having to make different plans. Unfortunatly, I have no idea how to modify the system and still be fair to the members that have this as their home resort.

Slippery slope. Same thing could be said of California for many owners, or of California owners coming east.

That's the risk in a points-trade system: Inability to get your destination that isn't your priority booking ownership.

 

[Sandisw]

I really believe that the reservation system for this property should be modified. I understand the need to cater to the members that have this as their home resort, but considerations should be made. Because of its location, it is a major undertaking to plan this vacation, only to be denied the ability to get accommodations. At WDW, if you cannot get the request that you want, there are other options on site, so as to not ruin your vacation. Not so here at Aulani. If you have saved your points and then planned on aulani as your hotel, only to find its unavailable, you're screwed and have to find other choices. This can make or break your vacation plans, having to make different plans. Unfortunatly, I have no idea how to modify the system and still be fair to the members that have this as their home resort.

They have to give owners at least a one month booking window. DVC currently chooses to give all home resorts a 4 month window.

I do not see them ever reducing that for non owners…and while I don’t own AUL, I would not be thrilled to see my home resort advantage reduced to give non owners a better chance.

Unfortunately, that’s the nature of it all…getting anything but your home resort will be difficult if what you are trying for is a popular destination for other non home resort owners as well.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Also worth mentioning that early June, before the points go up, is a wildly popular season at Aulani. Has been for years.

 

[DisneyMountainWoman]

Can you afford July? Much easier to book since the points go up.
But yeah this is why we own at Aulani, June is great there. Points are reasonable, weather is great in June and it is when school is off.

 

[anricat]

Can you afford July? Much easier to book since the points go up.
But yeah this is why we own at Aulani, June is great there. Points are reasonable, weather is great in June and it is when school is off.

My brother in law who we are vacationing with is a college professor and we basically have one week in between his spring quarter and summer quarter.

 

[anricat]

You can call Member Services and have them merge all of the nights into a single reservation. This is assuming that each night is the same size and category of room, of course.

Well, it's a moot point. The only day available was June 7 and it's gone now.

 

[jekjones1558]

Well, it's a moot point. The only day available was June 7 and it's gone now.

Don't give up yet. Stalk the website a couple of times a day. A one bedroom will be much easier to get than a studio. Good luck!!